The thing is, this recipe didn’t turn out exactly the way I planned it in my head. Actually, the taste of this bar was what I expected, but the pumpkin fudge ripple layer…

…it’s a little gooey.

A LOT gooey.

But it tastes so marvelously, fantastically decadent, I figured I would find a way to work around the too-soft texture.

And find one, I did.

I found two solutions, if I’m being honest.

SOLUTION #1: Refrigerate. The key to this plan is that you will be eating them directly from the fridge. If you tend to eat them one at a time, here and there, this is probably a good solution. It keeps the pumpkin fudge from getting too drippy. Just eat them fast.

SOLUTION #2: Freeze. This is a good option if you are planning to serve them to a crowd. Just take them out of the freezer about 20 minutes before you plan to eat them, otherwise people will break their teeth. I liked this a little better, because it gave me slightly more eating time before gooey-overwhelm set it.

Either way you do it, be sure to use parchment paper, or you will have a big mess on your hands.

Gooey or no, I had to share these because I love the Hershey’s Pumpkin Spice Kisses. They are kind of a seasonal treat, and you just have to use them all while you can!

The pumpkin kisses have a little spice in them, and I added some cinnamon to the cookie dough to match that. It takes the classic chocolate chip cookie and dresses it up for fall.

For pumpkin fudge, unwrap candies and place in a glass bowl. Add condensed milk. Melt candy, either over boiling water (like a double boiler) or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth.

Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. Press about ½ to ⅔ of the cookie dough into the bottom of the pan. Pour pumpkin fudge evenly over the top. Use the remaining dough and drop in pieces over the pumpkin layer.

Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes.

Let cool completely, and chill thoroughly before cutting into 12 large or 24 small bars. Keep bars in the fridge or freezer.